


1- At the Airport

by Owl_Lexington_teh3rd



Series: How Does it Work: A Matter of the Heart [1]
Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Real World, Cute, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, K-pop References, Light Angst, Nervousness, Other, POV First Person, Panic Attacks, Real Life, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 02:21:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13824456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owl_Lexington_teh3rd/pseuds/Owl_Lexington_teh3rd
Summary: An AU where BTS haven't won the AMA's yet but are making their American debut around that same time.Amelia & other entertainment companies start using Kpop groups in advertising & BTS is first pick. Amelia & her collegues cast BTS for some promotions, & at the same time Big Hit uses the opportunity to give BTS their American debut.





	1- At the Airport

It had been a very long day. The morning had been spent rushing around trying to get to the early flight, because that stupid secretary who couldn’t put her head back on if it was lying at her feet, had booked the flight much too late in the day. The meeting was this evening and there was no way I could miss it. So, I’d been up all night, running about to get a flight that would get me in by the early afternoon. And the one I’d just left had taken off at about 5am. It had been ten hours since then and I was finally here, in cloudy England. What a lovely welcome.  
It was 3pm. That meant I had three hours to get to my hotel and change before heading to the meeting. I grabbed my bags and headed for the exit, hoping to find a taxi quickly. Any more delays might be disastrous. My footsteps were soft thanks to my sneakers and I was able to walk quickly across the floor. Baggage claim had been a breeze. Even in a last-minute situation, I had been able to arrange to have everything cleared for my arrival at the airport. I would have loved to book a car to wait for me, but the CEO already had them all booked up for the VIPs of this little gathering. It must be nice to have so much money.  
I had just walked through the international terminal exit and could see the doors ahead of me, when there was a loud noise behind me. I turned, and saw a group of people in casual clothes walking out just behind me, all carrying their bags and talking quietly. The moment they had stepped out from the doorway, a large crowd of young girls had screamed and were running up to them, phones out. My eyebrows rose as the girls fell upon the group, calling out names and thrusting themselves upon them. The group kept pushing forwards, trying to shove the girls out of the way, and one of them fell. No one stopped to help him up, they just continued moving until they were out of the main thoroughfare. I watched as the crowd swarmed them, and two of the group stepped aside, taking out their phones. Then I looked back.   
The one who had fallen was sitting up, gripping his ankle. He was wearing a mask over his mouth and nose, but even with that covering I could see the pain on his face. His bag lay on the ground beside him, mercifully undamaged. I glanced through the doorway, but no one was coming. Quickly, I strode back towards him, and stopped before him.   
“Hey,” I said, dropping down before him. “Are you alright?”  
He looked up at me, his eyes suspicious.   
“Are you hurt?” I tried again, gesturing to his ankle.   
Still he said nothing. I looked at him, trying to gauge whether he had understood me. From the look of him, I could tell he was a young kid. Not yet out of his twenties. He had faded blonde hair, with dark roots and his dark eyes were slanted.   
I held out my hand toward him and asked again, “Are you okay?”  
He stared at my hand then at my mouth and shook his head. Was he badly hurt? I looked him over again, trying to see past the mask. He was definitely Asian, but which region I couldn’t tell. His face was a little too wide to be Chinese, so maybe Japanese or Korean? It wouldn’t hurt to try.   
Gesturing to his leg and then holding my hand out him again, I asked, “Gwaenchanh-a?”   
His face lit up and he nodded. He took my hand and I helped him to his feet. Before he could say anything, I ducked down and picked up his bag. He took the handle, then stared curiously at me. I didn’t really know what to say to him.   
“Kamsahamnida,” he said, and then he gestured to his bag. “Mueongaga ppajyeossneunga?”  
Here was where my Korean ran out. I knew he had asked about his bag, but I wasn’t too sure what he was referring to. I gave the bag a quick once over.   
“Kkaejin ge aniya.” I said, hoping that was what he had meant.   
He gave me a questioning look.   
“Neo hangugmalhani?”  
I paused.   
“Naneun… danji hangug-in-eul ihaehanda.” I said it with some hesitation, trying to remember all the pronunciation.   
He nodded and the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly. Was he smiling?  
He glanced at the group still off to his left. I followed his gaze.   
“Geudeulgwa hamkke issni?” I asked, and he nodded.   
As soon as I said it, one of the men who had stepped away to use his phone turned and saw both of us. He waved at the guy and tapped his wrist. The guy nodded, then looked at me and inclined his head slightly.   
“Naneun gaya hae. Dowa jwoseo gomawo.”   
By the time, I could think of the reply, he had already turned and started walking back to his group.   
“Chonmahn-eh-yo!” I called after him, and he waved to me in reply.   
I watched him go, feeling slightly amused by the encounter. I hadn’t used my Korean in ages, I was surprised I remembered so many words. As the guy re-joined his group and the screaming girls were finally forced to disperse, my eyes wandered down to my watch. I flinched then swore and grabbed my bag, sprinting for the exit. The moment I was through the doors I hailed a taxi and threw myself into the backseat, giving quick directions to the hotel. As I pulled my seatbelt on and settled into my seat, I saw the guy and his group coming out onto the taxi stand. But before I could properly observe them the taxi driver had whisked me out onto the highway, heading for the hotel.   
The cityscape blurred by, all of it wasted on my sleep deprived mind. I couldn’t help checking my watch every few seconds until I finally put a hand over it and closed my eyes. It was not like looking at the time would make it go faster. It took forty minutes to get to the hotel, by which time I had resigned myself to the wait. I paid the driver, grabbed by bags and went into the lobby. The Hilton was as plush as ever and a clerk hurried up to me the moment I walked in. He looked me up and down before asking politely, “Can I help you miss?”  
I gave him a smile and held out my ticket.   
“I’ve a room booked,” I said nicely. The clerk took my ticket, examined it, then nodded.   
“Welcome Miss Amelia. I will check if your room is available, one moment please.” He said and headed behind the counter. He had a quick word with the receptionists, handing over the ticket then came back with a key card in hand.   
“Your room is number 234, on the second level. Would you like some help with your bags?” he asked.   
I shook my head, taking the key card from him.   
“Thank you but I can manage.”   
He nodded and walked away, leaving me to drag my bags into the elevator. I was on the second floor in a heartbeat, and to the door of Room 234 in less than that. I tapped the key card against the panel and at the beep entered the room, throwing my bags onto the bed. The Hilton was as extravagant as ever, but I wasn’t paying attention. I’d been in so many fancy hotels that they’d ceased to impress me.   
The first stop was the bathroom, where a towel and bathrobe lay waiting on racks. I stripped out of my casual clothes, faded jeans and t-shirt crumpling in an unceremonious pile before climbing into the shower. The hot water burned my tiredness to the back of my mind. All I needed now was a coffee and I’d be up the whole night. When I was finally clean, I stepped out of the shower, used the hairdryer then opened my makeup box.   
It was a sleek thing, black with gold clasps and wood-handled brushes. I laid it down on the sink edge with reverence and examined my face, taking care to select the perfect colour. Normally I would have hours to do this, but it only took about forty minutes. Layer by layer, colour by colour, the girl no one recognised as Amelia Braeburn disappeared. Gone were the dark circles under those pretty brown eyes, gone was the mole in the centre of my cheek. The face that was not as high cheek boned as all my photos would suggest was remodelled and cheekbones seemed to appear out of nowhere. The final touches of a rose-coloured lipstick and black eyeliner completed the look. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I recognised the woman who looked back. A smile played across my mouth and I had to fight it back so as not to smudge the lipstick.   
With the main job done I went to my bags and opened the larger one, finding inside the gorgeous black dress that complimented my figure but revealed nothing. It was the perfect mix of heavy wool and lace, all designed to be simple but elegant. Simple black heels matched it and my dark brown hair hung loose. It was perfect.   
And now that I looked perfect, I needed to be perfectly on time so that everyone could appreciate the masterpiece that I was. I had half an hour until the meeting.   
Luckily, the journey there didn’t take longer than twenty minutes. I had the taxi drop me off around the corner from the building and he left discreetly. This was not the kind of thing to show up to in a taxi. I walked around the corner, back straight, head up, putting enough weight behind each step to allow my heels to click. It was an art, to master the right walk that let people know you were coming.   
And people did notice. The people standing outside the entrance to the grandiose building turned at my approach and there were smiles from those I knew. The hundred or so reporters that clustered by the front turned their attention to me and suddenly there was flashing lights and people holding microphones commenting on my every step. The practiced smile spread easily across my face, and I waved to the people I knew. A tall man with blonde hair came over and kissed me on both cheeks saying, “Amelia! You look absolutely radiant.”  
“You’re too kind Jones,” I replied, patting his arm and giving him a once over. “I love your tie!”  
Jones grinned, his handsome face becoming even more so. On any other woman, this might be enough to make their knees weak. For me, it did nothing but gave a pleasant view.   
“You’re not the only one coming, are you?” Jones asked, walking beside me towards the doors. I shook my head.   
“The VIPs got here earlier. They should have been here all day. I only just got in.”   
Jones nodded, then glanced back as a rather loud journalist started commentating on his suit. He leant a little closer, and asked softly, “Shall we give them a little show?”  
The smile that had been threatening, slipped out as I glanced back at the journalist.   
“Why not?” I replied, and slipped my arm into Jones’.   
His arm around mine, he wrapped his fingers around mine and we continued our walk. The flashes and snaps of cameras and the commentary of the journalists trailed along as we walked, moving slowly and without haste. When we had reached the top of the steps and were just about to pass through the doors, Jones turned so that we were both facing each other, and so that the journalists had a side on view of us. He bent and brushed his fingers along the edge of my fringe. People started going nuts and the two of us entered the building before anyone had time to ask us questions. Once inside, I turned to Jones, an eyebrow rising.   
“Tsk, tsk, something as provocative as that? What would your wife think?”  
He let go of my hand and we began walking up the long marble corridor.   
“Nothing, seeing how well she knows you.” He replied, running a hand through his hair.   
“How is she, by the way?” I asked, folding my arms over the front of my dress the better to hold it down. “Last I’d heard she was five months on.”  
He grinned at me.   
“Five months goes by very quickly.” He said, and pulled out his phone. “I’m now a dad.”  
He proudly showed me a photo of a tiny baby wrapped in blankets.   
“Oh, my goodness that’s wonderful!” I cried, giving him a quick hug. “Girl or boy?”  
“Boy.” He said, practically glowing with pride. “His name’s Kieran. You’d like him. He’s loud, like you.”   
I swatted him playfully on the arm. Before I could say anything else, we had reached the double doors at the end of the marble corridor. An attendant came forwards and we took out our passes and displayed them to him. He nodded and opened the doors, bowing slightly as we passed him.   
The room was a lavish ballroom with tables everywhere. There was no room for dancing, but every person that sat at a table or crowed by the buffet and the podium at the far end of the room, was not there for dancing.   
I spotted someone I recognised and Jones did too. I patted his arm.   
“I’m glad you’re doing well. Give my best to your wife.” I said. He nodded and then we were moving in opposite directions.   
I moved through the well-dressed men and women, nodding and smiling to anyone who caught my eye. Then I was at a table, at the elbow of a man in his late forties.   
“What kept you?” my boss snapped, his voice so low only I could hear it.   
“I’m sorry sir,” I replied, bowing slightly. “I only just arrived in the country three hours ago.”  
He flicked his eyes to me, and I felt like he was going to skin me alive.   
“Are you serious?” he hissed, his voice tight. “I told you to have this scheduled months ago. I told everyone. How could you be the last person in?”  
“It was Elsie,” I started to say, but he cut me off.   
“If you use that incompetent lump as an excuse again, I swear you’ll be taking her place.” He snarled.   
“It really was,” I said, earnestly. “She had me booked too late in the day and I only found about it yesterday.”  
He looked at me, eyes burning.   
“Fire her.” He said simply. “She’s obviously useless. We’ll see how you go without a secretary.”  
“Yes sir.” I said, bowing again.   
He nodded and looked away.   
“Go get me something to drink,” he said, casually. “Nothing too strong. You should eat too.”  
“Yes sir.” I said again, and walked across the floor to the buffet. Taking a glass, I filled it with some white wine and took a plate of food for myself.   
Out there, outside those doors, everyone assumed I was someone important. But this was the truth, I thought as I bitterly walked back. I was just another one of my boss’s lap dogs, there to do whatever he wanted and take whatever credit I was allowed.   
It wasn’t a comforting thought.   
I spent most of the night at the table beside my boss, discretely eating any appetizers that came past me and drinking wine. No one had anything to say to me, but I kept an eye on all those who talked with my boss. I’d be expected to remember all this later, I had to be focussed.   
At around ten everyone sat down and the MC stepped up onto the podium. I glanced around as he took the stage, noting how still everyone had become. This was the main event. Even my boss put down his glass and folded his fingers in his lap, eyes fixed on the stage. The MC took a second before saying, “Thank you all for coming. I know it was quite difficult for most of you to arrange to be here, especially at this time of year. As you are no doubt aware, our president has come to a decision regarding marketing for the next quarter of this year. I present to you Mr Layton Isaac, a representative from the president’s office who is here to explain this to you.”   
He turned and gave a small bow to a well-dressed young man with rich black hair and glasses who had stood up and moved toward the stage at the sound of his name. The MC stepped down and Layton Isaac stepped up. He looked around at the assembled people and bowed slightly.   
“Thank you, Mr Morison.” He said, straightening his glasses slightly. “As you are all aware we have been increasingly moving towards targeting the younger demographics in almost all forms of marketing. However, given just how many countries, cultures and values we each represent, this is no easy task. However there has recently been a global trend that is uniting many countries across the world. Korean pop music, Kpop as the youth refer to it. The president has been watching this trend, and it has only been growing stronger in the years since it made its way into the global mainstream. So, he has organised a partnership with several of the largest Korean entertainment agencies. They have agreed to lend us a group of their idols every two months, in exchange for a forty percent return on all profits and the president has set up an account for the money to be paid into. While this is our long-term strategy, the aim of this gathering is not to waste your time with little details. I can already see your impatience Mr Jackson.”  
He gave a small smile to a white-haired man a few tables ahead of us.   
“This gathering is firstly so that you can all organise your press releases, as head office will be publicizing this news on Monday. The second reason you are all here, is because each and every one of you will have a role to play in this. It may not be anything immediate, and perhaps not long term. You will be hearing from me in the coming days regarding your specific roles, but please prepare yourselves for this project. It will be taking up most of your time. For now, I would like to speak with Mr Kingsley and his representatives, then I will be available to answer your questions afterwards. Thank you all for your time. Mr Kingsley?”  
He gave a small bow and gestured to the right of the stage. As he stepped down from the stage, my boss stood up.   
“Come on,” he said, beckoning to me.   
I stood, my legs like jelly. Why could he possibly want us before anyone else? I followed my boss and the three other people who had stood, up to the front of the room to Layton Isaac and then into a separate smaller room. When we had all entered and the guards had closed the door, Layton Isaac turned to face us, arms folded. Up close, I could see the painted roots of his hair and wispy five o’clock shadow that clung to his cheeks.   
“Mr Kingsley,” he said, his voice quiet. “Your team will be meeting with a representative group of Koreans to discuss more details of this tomorrow. I wasn’t told who you’ll be meeting, but it will be at the Grande Plaza Hotel at eleven tomorrow. I’m told one of your team speaks Korean?”  
“Yes,” my boss said, indicating me. Layton’s eyes flicked to me.   
“Good,” he said, his gaze making feel hot. “Then she will be doing the translation for you. Don’t be late.”  
His eyes returned to my boss.   
“I trust you to handle this with discretion. The media won’t be informed of your involvement until you’ve made all the arrangements. Also, the president personally chose your team for this. I hope his trust is well placed. Mr Kingsley, this is everything you’ll need to know before your meeting.”  
He produced a sleek folder from his coat and handed it to my boss.   
“If you wish, you may all head home for the day. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow and it’s best that you rest properly.”  
My boss inclined his head.   
“Thank you, sir.” He said. I could see the slight tremor in his hand as he held the folder. Layton Isaac nodded in return, then stepped aside and opened the door. Without a backward glance, he left the room, closing the door. My boss turned to look at us.   
“Don’t tell anyone about this,” he said, simply. “The fact that we were chosen first is no coincidence. I can’t tell you how bad it will look if things go poorly for us.”  
We all nodded. My heart was beating in my mouth. I felt sure all of this was some giant confusion. But it did make sense. In some crazy way.   
My boss nodded and pressed the folder to his chest.   
“You can all go. I’ll stay a little longer, but I’ll be going before midnight. I want you to get enough sleep before tomorrow.”  
He nodded, then left the room. I glanced at my colleagues. They were looking at each other with the same confusion and nervousness I was feeling. The tallest, Alex glanced at me.   
“Looks like you’ve got a bigger job than the rest of us,” he said sympathetically.   
I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. Brian, the one beside me, gave a small smirk.   
“Yeah no pressure.” He said, patting my shoulder. “All you have to do is make sure you don’t upset anyone and we’ll be good. And if you leave a bad impression…” he drew his finger across his throat.   
Something like fear started brewing inside my belly, as the thought of incorrectly translating something so important crossed my mind. My fingers started to shake and I reflexively tightened them on my clutch. Alex gave me a look of concern.   
“I think we should get going,” he said. “It’ll be crazy tomorrow, and I want a decent breakfast before anything happens.”  
Brian nodded and gave me a reassuring smile.   
“See you tomorrow,” he said, and the three of them left the room.   
I took another moment to compose myself before following. Even as I walked out I could feel the heat in my face. It wasn’t fun, walking through the room to the door as every eye followed me discreetly. I could hear everyone continuing to talk and socialise, acting as if they were ignoring me, but I knew they were looking at me. I knew they were asking who I was, why I had been chosen to speak to Layton Isaac before anyone else. The wine was making everything worse. It hadn’t been strong, but with my mind so occupied I felt as though I was trying to walk after taking several shots. Thankfully, my legs held out until I reached the exit. I opened it and glanced back. I saw Jones a little way behind me, watching me intently. He gave a small wave, and I waved back, then ducked out and shut the door.   
Relief washed over me, and I leant against the door. I felt like I would fall if I let go, so I gripped the handle and breathed deeply. An attendant hurried up to me, his black shoes coming into my view.   
“Are you alright ma’am?” he asked, holding his hand out.   
“Yes,” I said, weakly. I took his hand and he steadied me.   
“Can you call me a taxi please?” I asked. He nodded and let me go, walking a few steps away as he took out his phone. I waited, running my hands over each other to keep my mind off everything that had just happened. The less I thought about it the better. The attendant came back.   
“Your taxi will be here soon ma’am. Would you like to wait inside?”  
I shook my head.   
“Thanks for your help, but I’ll go outside and wait.”  
The attendant nodded and walked back to the side of the hall. I took another breath, then lifted my head and walked along the hall to the exit. With every step, I felt a little better, and by the time I had reached the main doors, I knew I could walk by the reporters with ease. And when I stepped out onto the top step in the cold night air, I was surprised to see that almost all the reporters were gone. The ones I walked past didn’t bother to look at me. My colleagues must have been tight-lipped when they came out, so they weren’t expecting anything from me. The taxi came and I got in and was back at the Hilton before I even knew it. I returned to my room, stepped inside and after locking the door, fell face first onto the bed.   
For almost half an hour I didn’t move. And when I felt like I was about to fall asleep, I got up, washed up, changed into my PJs and got under the covers. It took seconds for me to fall asleep. 

It was nine-ish when my alarm rang. And when it did, I felt too numb and tired to respond. But I did wake up. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. For a few minutes, I didn’t think much, just enjoyed the sunlight on the ceiling. Then the memories of last night began to trickle in. I groaned and rolled over, putting my hands over my face. My phone beeped as a message came in, and I checked it, giving another groan when I saw who it was from. My boss had just sent out the information we’d need for the meeting with the Koreans. I skimmed it, feeling the bitter taste mount in the back of my mouth as I read my briefing.  
I dropped the phone and rolled over again, rubbing my face. How could they expect me to handle negotiations with the Koreans when I barely even spoke the language? I knew they were thinking of that time when I had stayed in South Korea, but that was seven years ago. Even in my conversation with the kid yesterday I’d barely been able to remember any of the words. But if I backed out I’d just be making more work for everyone. My boss would have to find a translator in a matter of hours, which might delay the meeting. Any negative opinions would get back to the president. And because he had put so much into this, if I caused a problem I’d most likely lose my job. Even mentioning this to my boss was cause enough for him to fire me.  
I lowered my hands, watching the way the light touched my fingers. If only I had Lindsey with me. She always knew what to say. She always believed in me. I thought about calling her but she’d probably be asleep.   
There was nothing for it. I had to do this. I just hoped the Koreans would be understanding. Pushing back the fear in my stomach, I rolled out of bed and stretched. The blinds were closed but the sunlight was still filtering through the gaps, leaving bands of gold along the white room. I took a shower and fixed my hair, taking my time. Now that I had a full night’s sleep under my belt I felt better about what I had to do. I was still terrified, but I could face it and not fall apart like last night. When I had changed into a simple blouse and black jeans and tied my hair in a loose ponytail, I took out my make-up kit. It was a simple job today, nothing bold or striking like last night. The mole in the centre of my cheek stayed visible, there was no eyeliner or mascara and only a little bit of pencil on my eyebrows. The look was natural and simple, perfect for a business meeting. Nothing too crazy today.   
I got my bag and jacket then headed out and flagged a taxi. Getting to the Grande took longer than I had thought. We ended up stuck in a traffic jam for half an hour. The driver apologised, but I didn’t mind. I was able to use the delay to read over the information my boss had sent us. The more I read, the more I felt that something was slightly off about the information. What I was being asked to do was too simple. Everyone knew that I had other skills, it was why I held such a good position in the company, and yet all I was being asked to do was translate. And everyone else had to organise so many things, things that other people usually did. Even my boss, the very head of our company, he had to do things that were below his station. I frowned, and rubbed my chin. No, something was definitely off about this.   
The Grande was a big extravagant building, all clean angles and glass windows that sparkled in the light. People hurried in and out of the doors, adding to the cosmopolitan feel.   
As the taxi pulled up I was surprised to see Alex waiting at the front doors. I got out and walked up to him, raising a hand in greeting. He nodded, brow furrowed in a frown.   
“Hi,” he said, when I was close to him. “How’s it going?”  
“Alright,” I said, looking up at him. “What’re you doing out here?”  
His frown deepened.   
“Waiting for the Koreans. I’m supposed to escort them.”  
“Did you read the info?” I asked, tapping my fingers against my phone.   
He nodded.   
“Yeah. It’s weird, right?”   
I nodded.   
“This stuff came directly from the president,” he said, folding his arms. “But we’d need the whole company to do it right. Why is it only being put down to the six of us?”  
“Six?” I raised an eyebrow.   
“The boss flew his secretary in this morning.” He said.   
“Maybe this is a test,” I replied, thinking over what I had read. “Perhaps, the president has something in mind for us if we succeed.”  
Alex shrugged.   
“We’ll see. You’d better get up there, the boss will be looking for you.”   
I nodded and hurried inside. The atrium was huge and lavish, the right-hand wall completely made up windows that showed a splendid view of the bustling streets. I had to take the elevator up to the tenth floor, and was squashed between a group of men in suits and the wall.  
But, I almost found myself wishing for that cramped elevator ride when I got to the room. Everything was chaos. It wasn’t obvious, no running around looking frantic or people shouting at each other. This was quiet chaos, evident only in the way everyone moved, walking a little faster than normal, not lingering when reading a document, and in how everyone’s eyes shot towards me when I opened the door. My boss beckoned to me and I went to him, already feeling the tension creeping into my posture. Suddenly the task at hand seemed much bigger and more serious than I had previously thought.   
“I got a contact,” my boss said when I reached his side, voice low. “These are the guys we’re meeting.”  
I took the document he held, noting just how tight his grip was. My eyes roved over the faces and names. Both were middle aged men working at the same company. My eyes went back to my boss.   
“Do you need me to do anything while we wait?” I asked. “They won’t be here for another couple of hours.”  
He shook his head.   
“I’ve already divided up the tasks for everyone. I need you to rehearse your Korean. The conference room will be empty until we need it and I won’t call for you until they arrive.”  
“There must be something I can do,” I said. It’d be way too unfair to leave all the work for everyone else.   
My boss shook his head.   
“I saw how you were last night,” he said. My heart fluttered anxiously, but he shook his head and put a hand on my shoulder.   
“I know you’re worried, everyone is. But you’re the only one who can do this for us. So, I need you at your best. I can’t have you fainting before we even talk to them.”   
He said this so reassuringly that I only felt more worried. He wasn’t normally like this. But if this what I had to do then so be it. I gave him a nod and he patted my shoulder lightly.   
“I’ll call for you when they arrive.” he said and let me go, moving off to supervise John and his secretary, Steph.   
The conference room was already laid out, with name plates in front of every seat and desk space. Mine was near the head of the table and I flopped into it gratefully, spreading the documents I’d brought out on the table before. As my boss had instructed, I stayed in the room and read over everything I’d been given, before quietly rehearsing some of the most likely Korean phrases that would be used. All too soon, there was a tap on the door and John poked his head in to look at me.   
“They’re here,” he said.   
I stood, my legs like jelly, and went to him. Together we walked to into the main area and stood beside the others. Everyone looked tense, but they were hiding it well. Steph’s hands were behind her back, fingers tapping restlessly. And then the door opened and the two men I had seen in the file stepped through. My boss stepped up to meet them, extending a hand in greeting.   
“Welcome,” he said, wearing a professional smile I had seen all too often. “My name is Brian Kingsley. I’m so glad you could make it.”   
The two men shook his hand, giving little smiles of their own. My boss gestured to me.   
“This is our translator, Amelia.”  
I stepped forwards and bowed.   
“Annyeonghaseyo, je ireum-eun Amelia imnida. Naneun oneul beon-yeog hal geos-ida.”   
The man to my right turned to me and bowed before extending his hand. He had well cut black hair, and a nice suit.   
“Annyeonghaseyo,” he replied. He had a surprisingly deep voice. “mannaseo bangawoyo. Naneun Kim Tae Yun. Naneun maketing buseoui chaeg-imja da.”  
The other man stepped forwards. His hair was brown, and he had a slight wisp of a beard around his mouth.   
“Annyeonghaseyo, naneun Hyeong Seung Man. Naneun jaeneung gugjang-ida.”   
I shook both of their hands then turned to the team at large.   
“Everyone, this is Mr Kim Tae Yun, the head of marketing. And this is Mr Hyeong Seung Man, a talent director.”  
As I indicated the two of them, the rest of the team bowed slightly, and I introduced each of them. I glanced at my boss.   
“Where’s Alex?” I asked. “He should be here.”  
The same frown crossed my boss’ face and he glanced around.   
“I don’t know,” he replied. He started reaching for his phone, but I shook my head and turned to Mr Kim Tae Yun.   
“Bakk-e daleun salam-i iss-eoss ni? Neoleul boyeo julyeogo haess-eo.” I asked.   
He nodded.   
“Geuneun god yeogie iss-eoyahanda.”   
Before I could ask for more details, the door opened again and an oddly familiar voice said, “Annyeong. Orenmanida.”   
I spun around. There behind me was the blonde boy I’d helped yesterday. His mask was gone, and a bright smile graced his features. I couldn’t help it. I burst out, “Neoya! Neo yeogiseo mwohago issni?”   
“Ulineun hoeuigaissda.” The boy said, holding out his hand to shake mine.   
It was then that I noticed the group of boys behind him. They were the same one’s from the airport. And as I shook the boy’s hand, I realised something. They were all really tall. Like super tall. I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. One of them, a darker skinned boy with faded purple hair, squeezed out from between the group and gave me a smile.   
“Hi,” he said in English. “I’m Nam-joon. That’s Taehyung.”  
He indicated the blonde boy. I shook his hand, surprised by his English. Luckily, I was able to get my tongue to work, pretty quickly.   
“I’m Amelia. I wasn’t expecting so many of you, we might not have space…”  
Nam-joon shook his head, still smiling.   
“It’s fine. This is the group by the way.”  
He gestured to the other boys behind him. I gave them a smile and a small bow before introducing myself in Korean. They responded, giving smiles of their own at my Korean. When they had finished, I turned the others and said, “Everyone, this is BTS. This is their leader, Nam-joon. Their agency asked them to come today.”  
My boss tilted his head slightly at that. Then he addressed Nam-joon.   
“Why did they say that?” he asked. Nam-joon shrugged.  
“They said that the meeting would be about us, so we should be there. We have a concert in a couple of days, so we have the time.”  
He was very calm, almost laid back. He didn’t use any formalities when speaking and his left hand had stayed in his pocket ever since we’d shaken hands. It was a little odd, but I put it from my mind. My boss, seemingly satisfied with the introductions, gestured to the conference room, saying, “Alright then. If you’d all, please follow me into the meeting room we can begin.”  
I translated this, and everyone began filing into the room. My boss sat at the head of the table, and everyone else moved in to find their positions. I gestured to the place where Mr Tae Yun and Mr Seung Man would be, which was right beside mine.   
“Ideul-eun dangsin-ui jaliibnida. Amu geosdo mudji malgo balo yeogiiss-eul ge.” I said, and sat down. We were on the right of my boss, and Alex, John and Brian were across from us. Steph, was sitting in the corner to the left of my boss, laptop on her knees ready to take the minutes. The BTS boys, after a little confusion, had managed to arrange themselves around the opposite end of the table with Nam-joon directly across from my boss. Taehyung was next to Yoon-gi and Ho-seok on the other side of the table, and I couldn’t help but notice they were whispering about something. Ho-seok laughed silently, and Yoon-gi elbowed him as he saw me looking.   
As the meeting began and my boss explained everything we had been told and what we hoped to achieve with this agreement and I translated, I realized that the leaden weight of nervousness in my stomach was suddenly gone. My eyes kept falling on Taehyung and the others. Nam-joon was sitting with a hand on the table, listening, but not commenting. The others were all watching either my boss or myself, occasionally whispering something to each other. Taehyung glanced at me several times, still with that light smile on his lips, like he was looking at a friend. Having a familiar face in the room had taken away my worries.   
Nam-joon was also helpful. When my boss started talking about the details of the agreement we hoped to sign with them, there were some words that were very hard to translate. As I faltered over them, he piped up, giving a quick sentence in Korean, that made Mr Tae Yun and Mr Seung Man nod thoughtfully.   
The agreement was the hardest part of the discussion. All of the terms and conditions were hypothetical and suspect to change in the future. There were no certainties about times or dates or even what we might need the group for. Things were further complicated by the fact that our company was in the States, not here in England.   
“Our company is mostly involved in filmmaking,” my boss explained. “However, we have not the time or licensing to use BTS in a movie. What will most likely end up happening is that we’ll shoot some commercials and do a few photoshoots with the boys.”  
As I translated, Nam-Joon leant over and whispered something to Taehyung. The other raised his eyebrows at him and whispered back. Ho-Seok elbowed him, eyes flicking towards me.   
Mr Seung Man looked past me to my boss.   
“Geudeul-eun jeon-e ileon jis-eul haess-eo,” he said simply. “Ulineun hangug-eseo manh-eun gwang-gowa sajin chwal-yeong-eul chwal-yeonghabnida. Geuge jeongmallo dangsin-i saeng-gaghagoissneun jeonbu-ingayo?”  
I blinked, surprised by his bluntness. Needless to say, I didn’t translate that part. Instead I said, “Do you have any other ideas?”  
My boss looked pensive for a moment, and I saw Nam-Joon and Yoon-gi shoot a look my way. They had obviously understood what I had done. My boss shook his head.   
“It is difficult to come up with other ideas. We are one organisation, but our partners who specialise in other things, will have their own ideas. And, as I said, if we give BTS a cameo in a movie or film something special for them, we will have to deal with licensing issues. What we want to do right now, is establish a time for BTS to be at our American site where we can organise and decide on what we will be doing with them.”  
Nam-Joon muttered something quietly to Taehyung before saying, “We do have some concerts in America at the beginning of next year. That might be the best time to do it.”  
Mr Seung Man nodded and said, “Yes, the more time the better.”  
“Then it’s decided.” My boss said, a small smile beginning on his lips. He turned to his secretary and asked, “What are our dates like early next year?”  
The girl glanced at her laptop for a minute, before saying, “We have space on the last week of January and the first two weeks of February have yet to be booked.”  
My boss glanced at the others.   
“Which of those works best?”  
I translated and this time, Nam-Joon leant across Jin to speak to Mr Tae Yun and Seung Man. They spoke quickly, and I caught enough to know that they were discussing dates. Taehyung and Jung-Kook chipped in a couple of times, and soon they had reached an agreement. Mr Tae Yun looked back at my boss.   
“2 wol choga gajang joh-eun sigan-ibnida. Geuleona ulineun 18 ilkkaji tueoleul junbi hal su issdolog kkeutnaeya hal geos-ibnida.” He said.  
I translated and my boss nodded happily.   
“Perfect,” he said and his secretary noted it down. “Now Steph, can you print that out for me?”  
She nodded and stood up, leaving the room for a minute. I heard the sound of a printer starting up in the main room. In the silence that followed, I glanced at Nam-Joon and Taehyung, and asked in Korean, “So, are you enjoying England?”  
Taehyung nodded a smile appearing.   
“I’ve never been here before, but I already like the scenery. It’s so beautiful.” He said.   
“It’s a bit cold though,” I said, and he nodded. I had been to England before, several times in fact, and while the landscape was beautiful, the weather left much to be desired.   
A question occurred to me, and I was about to ask it, but before I could Jung-Kook spoke up. His voice was deeper than I had thought, so I was a little surprised.   
“How do you know Taehyung?” he asked, big eyes blinking curiously at me. “Are you a fan?”  
I blinked, surprised at the question. Until this morning I’d never even heard of these boys. How could I be a fan? I glanced at my boss, thankful that we were speaking in Korean. He wouldn’t have liked the turn this conversation took.   
“No, I- “but Taehyung overrode me, quickly saying, “She’s the one you were teasing me about yesterday. The one that helped me up.”   
Jung-Kook’s expression went from understanding to confusion again at an alarming rate. Just as he opened his mouth again, Taehyung added, “You’re just confused because I was so familiar with her. But remember, I’m like that.”   
The confusion finally disappeared and Jung-Kook nodded.   
“Well, then we owe you thanks for helping hyung yesterday.”  
I inclined my head, smiling a little.   
“Think nothing of it. Anyone would have done the same.”  
Yoon-gi and Ho-Seok exchanged a look as I said that, and before I could ask about it, Steph came back carrying some papers. Our conversation died down as she walked to my boss and handed him everything. He gave the papers a once-over, then nodded and pushed them towards me.   
“That’s everything,” he said and I handed the papers on to Mr Tae Yun and Seung Man. They read them carefully, and I translated everything written on the pages as they did so. There was no conversation this time, and even Nam-Joon as leaning forwards with a serious interest on his face. When they had finished reading, the two men conferred for a minute before turning to me.   
“Ulineun eodieseo seomyeonghaeyahabnikka?” Mr Tae Yun asked.   
I flipped over a couple of pages and showed him the lines. He went to sign, but stopped for a second. He looked around and I realised he didn’t have a pen. My boss hadn’t given him one. I mentally cursed the stupidity of this, and quickly grabbed the spare pen I always kept in my jacket before he could ask for one.   
“Ili,” I said, offering it to him, and he took it with a short but tense, “Gamsa.”  
He and Seung Man signed and dated the papers, then I handed them back to my boss.   
“Wonderful!” he said, the smile properly breaking across his face. “Thank you so much for your time gentlemen.”  
We all stood and I translated to the other men who bowed slightly before shaking my boss’s hand in response. There was a general mill at the door as everyone made their way out. Out in the main room, my boss had a few more words with Seung Man and Mr Tae Yun before starting to walk them out. BTS followed and I had to jog a little to keep up. At the main doors of the Grande, my boss and the others shook hands again.   
“We will see you next year then,” my boss said cordially, and the two men nodded.   
“Be well.” Mr Tae Yun said.   
“Bye.” Mr Seung Man said, and the both of them turned and looked at the boys.   
“Cha an-eseo!” Seung Man, said, suddenly business like.   
The boys nodded and quickly started towards their car, a large black van. The rest of my group turned back towards the Grande, and just as I was about to follow, Taehyung called out to me.   
“Hey,” he said in Korean, speaking from the bottom of the steps. “What’s your name?”  
I mentally kicked myself, surprised I hadn’t given it.   
“Amelia,” I called back.   
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “You told me yesterday that you only speak a little Korean. And yet you were able to do all this so well.”  
I felt myself flush at his compliment.   
“Compared to you, I basically know nothing.” I told him, honestly.   
He shook his head.   
“Not just anyone can do something like this.” He said, looking straight at me. He took another moment.   
“You’re a lot better than expected. You should have more confidence.” He said. And with that, they strode to their car, farewelling me with a final wave. 

 

 

[For translation:]  
All the dialogue used in Hangul:  
1st exchange at the airport:  
Amelia: 괜찮아?  
V: 감사합니다. 무언 가가 빠졌는가?  
Amelia: 깨진 게 아니야.  
V: 너 한국 말하니?  
Amelia: 나는 단지 한국인을 이해한다.  
Amelia: 그들과 함께 있냐?  
V: 나는 가야 해. 도와 줘서 고마워.   
Amelia: 천만 에 요! 

***

2nd exchange at the meeting.   
Amelia: 안녕하세요, 제 이름은 Amelia 나다. 나는 오늘 번역 할 것이다.   
Mr Kim Tae Yun: 안녕하세요 만나서 반가워요. 나는 김태연. 나는 마케팅 부서의 책임자 다.  
Mr Hyeong Seung Man: 안녕하세요, 나는 형 승만. 나는 재능 국장이다.  
Amelia: 밖에 다른 사람이 있었 어? 그는 너를 안에 보여 주려고 했 어.  
Kim Tae Yun: 그는 곧 여기에 있어야한다.  
V: 안녕. 오랜만이다.   
Amelia: 너야! 너 여기서 뭐하고 있나?  
V: 우리는 회의가 있다.  
Amelia: 이들은 당신의 자리입니다. 아무 것도 묻지 말고 바로 여기 있을 게.  
Mr Hyeong Seung Man: 그들은 전에 이런 짓을 했어, 우리는 한국에서 많은 광고와 사진 촬영을 촬영합니다. 그게 정말로 당신이 생각하고있는 전부인가요?  
Kim Tae Yun: 2 월 초가 가장 좋은 시간입니다. 그러나 우리는 18 일까지 투어를 준비 할 수 있도록 끝내야 할 것입니다.  
Kim Tae Yun: 우리는 어디에서 서명해야합니까?   
Amelia: 이리  
Kim Tae Yun: 감사. 

Hyeong Seung Man: 차 안에서!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers! \^o^/   
> This is my 1st ever fanfiction so I'm super excited to hear what you think! Please leave a comment if you liked it XD   
> BTS is one of my fav groups so I hope you all like this :D Also, tell me if you want a part 2 of this, I'll do my best to get it to you!   
> I've got more fanfictions coming so stick around if you liked this one~   
> Thanks for coming! <3


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